How to Protect Yourself from a Serial Killer

Co-authored by Adrian Tandez

Last Updated: February 7, 2023 References Approved

Serial killers are habitual, but unusual, predators. They tend to seek out victims through similar methods each time and target victims when they are alone and appear vulnerable. Each criminal uses different methods and tactics to identify and capture potential victims. Regardless, your odds of becoming the victim of a serial killer are far less than your chances of winning a big lottery.^{[1]
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Research source} The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to follow general safety guidelines.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Avoiding an Opportunity for Attack

1
Be aware of your surroundings, always. Pay attention to where exits are located, objects and visual obstructions near you, and the people in your immediate area (or a lack of others entirely).^{[2]
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- Know where the nearest populated environment is to your current location, in case you feel threatened and need to seek a crowd.
- Know where the nearest police or fire station is in areas you normally drive through.
- Don’t mistake familiarity for security. Even if you are in a parking lot you often drive through or stop in during the day, do not assume it is also a safe place at night.
2
Travel with someone whenever possible, especially at night. Whether you are walking down the street or to your car, driving around an unfamiliar place, or jogging in a park, it is always better to be with someone you know than alone.^{[3]
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- If you must go somewhere alone, tell someone in your family or housemates where you are going and at what time.
- If you live alone, text a friend or family member letting them know where you will be and when to expect to hear from you next.
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3
Act with purpose. Walk confidently, looking ahead, like you know exactly where you are heading. Never look lost or unsure of what you are doing or where you are going.^{[4]
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- Don’t ask random people on the street for directions. Go inside a shop and ask a member of staff instead.
- Always park near a lit lamppost in car parks. This will keep your car illuminated at night and also will be easier to remember where you parked so you aren’t walking aimlessly around the area or looking for your car.
4
Lock your car doors. Do this as soon as you get into your car. Avoid sitting in a parking lot fiddling with the radio, checking your mobile phone, putting on your seatbelt, or anything else you tend to do before you start driving.^{[5]
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- Always keep your doors locked while driving, especially in urban areas where there are lots of traffic lights and junctions.^{[6]
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Lock your doors and windows at home. Most burglaries occur by criminals by trying out door handles or windows in a neighborhood until they find one that is unlocked. Don't risk it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Avoiding Potentially Dangerous People

1
Beware of needy strangers. It is always nice to help people, but some people are extra sympathetic. Killers often prey on these sympathies to incite them to drop their guard. If someone tries to stop you for any reason—whether they need your help or are claiming to be helping you out of the goodness of their hearts—don’t automatically assume their intentions are sincere.^{[7]
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- Say “no” if someone unknown asks for your help getting to/into their vehicle. Whether they are limping with a cane, carrying too many packages, or whatever the reason is, if it sounds fishy, decline to help.
- Avoid giving directions to unknown people in isolated areas. If they really need directions, they will drive to the nearest service station or call someone on their mobile phone.
2
Trust your gut instinct. If someone approaching you gives you the creeps, do not engage them in any way. Anyone in your surrounding area that makes you feel uncomfortable should be avoided. If you are entering a situation that feels like it might go horribly wrong, get out of it immediately.
- Be wary of getting into a lift with a suspicious person. Wait for the next one and risk being considered rude.^{[8]
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- If a car parked next to yours looks suspicious, like a panel van, go back inside and ask someone to escort you to your car.^{[9]
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- Someone with a long story with lots of details describing how and why they need your help is likely making their story up. There is nothing wrong with saying, “No, sorry, I can’t help you.”^{[10]
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Never let strange people into your home. If someone arrives at your door as a service person you were not expecting, call the company and verify before opening the door. Anyone claiming to need assistance can wait until a police car arrives to help them.^{[11]
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Avoid giving personal information to strangers. Make your social media profiles private and don't post where you are or where you will be at any specific time. If you participate in online dating, don’t give out your home or work address without having met the person a few times.
- Always schedule dates (whether romantic or “friend-dates”) with new acquaintances in well-populated public areas.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Defending Yourself Against an Imminent Attack

1
Run away. If you feel threatened by a suspicious person or are approached by a would-be attacker, the best way to avoid getting hurt is to run away from this person and towards a busy public area. Escaping is the quickest way to end an attack.
- Don’t rely on adrenaline to give you super speed. Engage in regular exercise so that you are physically strong enough to run quickly and far enough to get away.
- Wear reasonable shoes anytime you are walking around by yourself. Unless you wear your heels to the gym, you won’t be able to run far in them. Save fashionable footwear for nights out with a group of friends, or keep a pair of flats with you for walking.
2
Hide from your attacker, if you cannot escape the scene. Plan a safe hiding location inside your home, preferably with two nearby exits. If a serial killer comes in one exit, you should be able to get out using the other.
- Make sure the put your mobile phone on silent and hold so that it doesn’t vibrate.
3
Yell “back off!” and push your attacker. Keep your voice confident and authoritative and yell as loudly as you can. If anyone is within hearing distance, you might attract their attention. Even if nobody hears you, you have shown your attacker that you are not an easy target and are not worth the risk.^{[12]
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- This is better than yelling “help!” Sometimes people will avoid getting involved if they sense they may also get hurt or have to deal with police after an attack is reported.
- “Back off” sounds like you are capable of fighting back. Serial killers are typically methodical in making sure there is little risk of getting caught before approaching a potential victim.
4
Carry and learn how to use pepper spray. Pepper spray, extract from hot peppers, can be effective at inhibiting an attacker if used correctly. Find a class teaching proper administration and storage before buying or carrying this device.
- Many users accidentally spray themselves when the canister gets lost in their bag or purse. Consider it like any other weapon you would need to learn to use correctly to avoid self-injury.^{[13]
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Learn self-defense techniques from a trained instructor. There is a lot of advice on the internet for protecting yourself in a fight, but reading it is not the same as learning it. Self-defense classes like Krav Maga teach specific responses for common attacks, and attending classes provides a chance for you to practice real world advice.
- Make sure to attend classes with a certified instructor to supervise you and make sure you will not injure yourself through inexperience.
- Check your local government and non-profit websites. Many cities offer self-defense classes for free or on a sliding scale based on income.
6
Use your strongest body parts to counterattack. Your strongest parts are your elbows, head, and knees. Which one you use depends on your own position relative to that of your attacker.^{[14]
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- Use your elbows, hands, or head for attacking the upper body.
- Use your knees or feet to attack their lower body.
- Do not step in closer to use your arms or hands if you can use your legs or knees instead!
7
Aim for their most vulnerable body parts. Vulnerable places on your attacker include the eyes, neck, groin, and knee.^{[15]
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- Use your fingers or thumbs to poke or gouge your attacker’s eyes. This will cause a lot of pain and disrupt their vision temporarily, giving you time to run away.
- Thrust your elbow into your side of your attacker’s neck, using your body weight. If you can’t use your elbow, hold your fingers straight, with your thumb tucked underneath, and hit the side of their neck like a knife strike as hard as you can.
- If your attacker attempts to grab you from the front by your arms or shoulders, knee or kick them in the groin.^{[16]
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- Kick the side of your attacker’s knee to throw them off balance and cause injury.
8
Use everyday objects as weapons if necessary. Carry your keys sticking out between your fingers of a closed fist when walking alone at night or in scary areas. If attacked outside, throw dirt in your attacker’s eyes. Use a pen or pencil as a stabbing tool.
- If attacked, keys and writing utensils can be used to stab your attacker’s eyes or throat.
- Don’t falter and use full force if you really feel you are in danger. A half-hearted attempt to hurt someone will fail.
- Once you commit to an action, follow through with fullest intention.
9
Learn to escape typical grab attacks. If someone tries to pull you by your wrists, lower your center of gravity, lean towards your attacker, and bend your elbow upwards towards his/her arm to free yourself. If someone grabs you from behind, sit down on the ground as quickly and with as much force as possible.
- If you cannot sit, lower your center of gravity and thrust your elbow backwards into their neck or head.^{[17]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I survive a serial killer attack?

Adrian Tandez
Self Defense Trainer
Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. Adrian has over 27 years of self defense training experience.

Adrian Tandez

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I suggest you use self-defense training that models real-life scenarios. That way, if something does happen, you'll be prepared to respond quickly and correctly.

Warnings

If you hear someone threaten another person's life, Call 911, and tell someone immediately.

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Avoid high-risk lifestyle choices. Many times serial killers target certain vulnerable demographics, like sex workers, drug addicts, and runaways from home, because they think such people are less likely to be missed or noticed missing.^{[19]
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